Cooking with Courgettes: 5 delicious recipes to get you through a glut

It happens every year. I sow too many courgette seeds - just in case they don't all germinate. But they always do and I'm too soft to sacrifice the smallest seedlings so end up keeping them all. When the plants are bigger, I give them away to friends and neighbours but I always end up planting out too many in my veg beds.

So, once again, it's the July glut and I currently have 16 courgettes in my fridge and about the same again ready to harvest! Rather than make vats of ratatouille as I usually do, I've done a bit of reading up on different ways to cook with courgettes and come up with a top 5, below, which can be enjoyed by all the family. Encourage little ones to help with the picking and they will be more likely to try new recipes and enjoy what you've made! Some are my own invention and others I've adapted to suit our family's tastes. Enjoy!

1. Middle Eastern Courgette Dip

Serve this vibrantly coloured dip with warm pitta and falafel, or use as an accompaniment to a main meal. 

Heat 2 tbsp of rapeseed oil or olive oil in a pan and add 500g of chopped courgette. Fry lightly until slightly brown, adding a generous pinch of cumin and 2 or 3 finely chopped garlic cloves. Transfer to blender and whizz it up with a squeeze of lemon, 2 tbsp of tahini and salt and pepper to taste. It will keep in the fridge for a few days but is best eaten straight away.

2. Crunchy Courgette and Runner Bean Relish

Great with burgers, cold meats and cheeses.

Add 100g of topped, tailed and destringed runner beans to a pan with a splash of rapeseed oil or olive oil. I chop mine into smallish pieces - about 5 cm. Lightly fry for a few minutes. Then add 250g of courgettes. I've got a small yellow variety this year called 'Soleil' and they look so cute and colourful sliced into small circles. Other yellows to try include 'Summer Ball', 'Sunstripe' and 'Zephyr'. I also have a standard and reliable green variety called 'Defender'. (tip: I removed the yellow courgettes from the pan after a few minutes so that they retained their colour, shape and crunch). Add about 100g of finely chopped onion and fry together for a few minutes before adding 300ml of distilled malt vinegar, 250g of granulated sugar and 1 tbsp of wholegrain mustard. Bring to the boil and then simmer until reduced and thickened. Put the yellow courgettes back in and pour the relish into warm, sterilised jars. Once opened, store in the fridge and eat within 2 months. 

3. Spiced Courgette and Sultana Muffins

These are a family favourite in our house.

Sieve into a large mixing bowl: 100g of white self-raising flour, 100g of Wholemeal self-raising flour, 125g of soft brown sugar, a pinch of salt, half a tsp of baking powder and about 2 tsp of spice to taste (I use ginger, cinnamon or mixed spice - whatever I have in the cupboard). Mix this together and then add: 85g of melted butter, 1 lightly beaten egg, 180ml of milk (I use whole milk but you don't have to), 125g of sultanas and of course, the most important ingredient, 175g of grated courgette. Combine together without over-stirring and then fill 12 muffin cases, leaving space at the top for them to rise. Bake for 25 minutes at 170 C. Yum!

4. Breaded Courgette Chips

You'd think these would end up soggy, but they don't - they are really delicious!

Cut the courgettes into strips - whichever size and shape you want your chips to be. Coat them well in flour and a little bit of salt. Whisk an egg in one bowl and put a mixture of breadcrumbs and grated parmesan in another bowl. I add some home-grown and dried oregano to the dry mixture too and a handful of crunchy polenta. Dip the courgette strips into the egg and then the cheesy breadcrumbs (you will get a bit messy!) and then place on the wire rack of the grill pan with tinfoil underneath and bake in the oven until golden. 

5. Courgette Cakey-Cookies

The courgettes give these cookies a soft, cakey texture.

Mix together 125g of soft butter and 200g of caster sugar until creamy. Add to this 1 lightly beaten egg, 1 tbsp of water, 125g of grated courgette, 250g of plain flour, 1 tsp of bicarb of soda, a pinch of salt and 1 tsp of mixed spice. Combine the ingredients and then add 150g of dried fruit - any that you like. It is best to chill the mixture in the fridge for as long as you can before dropping teaspoonfuls onto a greased baking tray. Bake for about 10 mins at 190 C. Allow to cool thoroughly before transferring to a container.